Course info

This course utilizes the sociological perspective to explore the complex ways that human society and nature are intertwined, having significant impacts on each other. How societies are organized, how they produce and consume, and what values and norms constitute their culture all have varied impacts on what is often referred to as the 'natural' world. As environmental problems - such as climate change, deforestation, species loss, pollution, etc. - are constructed and emerge, the impact on societies varies greatly across social groups based on race, class, gender, and national context. This course explores how, in the face of environmental degradation, society has responded in different ways: with social movements, changes in lifestyles, and private certification programs advocating conservation and preservation; and political and economic institutions, definitions of status, and entrenched social organization resisting change. Prerequisite: SOAN 110. Recommended: SOAN 210 or SOAN 220.